Beijing & Xi'an: The Imperial CoreComfortable

Trip Summary

At a humane pace: four days in Beijing (Great Wall, Forbidden City, temples, hutongs, a Chengde day-trip option) and three in Xi'an (Terracotta Army, city wall, Huaqing, Big Wild Goose Pagoda), joined by a 4.5-hour bullet train through the Yellow River plain.

Trip Highlights

• Sunrise-to-sunset Great Wall day at Badaling with the Ming Tombs
• Chengde Mountain Resort option — the Qing emperors' summer escape
• Terracotta Army plus the hot-spring palace where the last Tang emperor fled
• Bike the Xi'an wall at dusk when the lanterns come on

Day by Day

Day 1 — Arrive Beijing

Airport Express in; Wangfujing evening.

Flight in · Beijinginternational flights, destination pre-filledBook →

Stay · Qianmenon the imperial axis — Line 8 straight to the Great Wall coachesBook →

Car rental · Beijingpick up at Beijing Capital International Airport on arrivalBook →

Day 2 — Forbidden City axis

Palace, Jingshan panorama and Qianmen hutongs.

The Palace Museum (Forbidden City) Jingshan Park

Stay · Qianmenon the imperial axis — Line 8 straight to the Great Wall coachesBook →

Tickets · The Palace Museumskip-the-line entryBook →

Day 3 — Great Wall day

Badaling cable car and battlements + Ming Tombs Sacred Way.

Badaling-Mutianyu Great Wall Ming Tombs

Stay · Qianmenon the imperial axis — Line 8 straight to the Great Wall coachesBook →

Tickets · Badaling-Mutianyu Great Wallskip-the-line entryBook →

Day 4 — Temples or Chengde

Option A: Temple of Heaven + Summer Palace. Option B: day trip to Chengde's imperial resort.

Temple of Heaven Park The Summer Palace Chengde Mountain Resort

Stay · Qianmenon the imperial axis — Line 8 straight to the Great Wall coachesBook →

Tickets · Chengde Mountain Resortskip-the-line entryBook →

Day 5 — Train to Xi'an

Morning G-train; afternoon wall cycling; Muslim Quarter dinner.

Xi'an City Wall & Forest of Steles Xi'an Muslim Quarter

Beijing → Xi'an trainHigh-speed rail ~4.5 hBook →

Stay · South Gateinside or beside the Ming walls — evening wall walks and the Bell TowerBook →

Car rental · Xi'anpick up at Xi'an North Railway Station on arrivalBook →

Tickets · Xi'an City Wall & Forest of Stelesskip-the-line entryBook →

Day 6 — Terracotta Army

Pits and bronze chariots; Huaqing Palace on the return.

Terracotta Army of Emperor Qinshihuang Huaqing Palace (Huaqing Pool)

Stay · South Gateinside or beside the Ming walls — evening wall walks and the Bell TowerBook →

Tickets · Terracotta Army of Emperor Qinshihuangskip-the-line entryBook →

Tickets · Huaqing Palaceskip-the-line entryBook →

Day 7 — Tang Xi'an & out

Big Wild Goose Pagoda square, Shaanxi History Museum (free, book ahead), then fly out of XIY.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda & Tang Paradise Shaanxi History Museum

Tickets · Giant Wild Goose Pagoda & Tang Paradiseskip-the-line entryBook →

Flight out · Xi'andeparture flights from Xi'an, destination openBook →